Getting the jump on the MLB’s larger 120-team announcement, the team announced officially who our four official affiliates will be. There had been much curiosity and speculation on the Nat’s affiliates in general, thanks to the forced Axing of Hagerstown and the general
Per the CurlyW official nats team blog this morning, we know that the team will be sending its prospects to:
- AAA: Rochester Red Wings
- AA: Harrisburg Senators
- High-A: Wilmington Blue Rocks
- Low-A: Fredericksburg Nationals
The Rookie league team continues to be the GCL Nats out of our Spring Training complex, and we continue to have a DSL team.
My initial reactions to each team officially being named is:
- AAA: Thank gosh they’re finally on the east coast, and finally in a league where they can develop minor leaguers. Now when we send a pitcher to AAA we can know for sure that a 6.00 ERA is actually “bad” and not just an off-shoot of the ridiculous elevation and hitters parks.
- AA; our longest affiliation continues, and i’m happy for it. In an ideal world we’d be talking Richmond here, but Harrisburg is a great spot as well.
- High-A: Can’t complain too much with Wilmington; its nearly as close as Harrisburg to the home base. I was selfishly hoping for Lynchburg, but I’m guessing they will be dumped to Low-A as well, and clearly MLB doesn’t rate Fredericksburg as a High-A city.
- Low-A: well, they can’t be happy about dumping down a level (but should look no further than what Fresno is being forced to do before swallowing and saying ok), but i’m glad they’re still around.
One interesting side note to going to Wilmington is this: it is the park closest to Keith Law, one of the leading independent scouting/prospect guys out there, so that means he’ll be seeing lots of our guys and we’ll have more analysis to show for it.
As I was writing this, BA released the full 119 team list , with Fresno holding out and confirmation that Lynchburg got dropped a level.
Lastly, fun facts about our affiliate history. Here they are dating to 2000
Year | AAA | AA | high-A | low-A | short-A | rookie | DSL 1 | DSL 2 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | Rochester | Harrisburg | Wilmington | Fredericksburg | (disbanded) | GCL Nationals | DSL Nationals | |
2020 | Fresno | Harrisburg | Fredericksburg | Hagerstown | Auburn | GCL Nationals | DSL Nationals | |
2019 | Fresno | Harrisburg | Potomac | Hagerstown | Auburn | GCL Nationals | DSL Nationals | |
2018 | Syracuse | Harrisburg | Potomac | Hagerstown | Auburn | GCL Nationals | DSL Nationals | |
2017 | Syracuse | Harrisburg | Potomac | Hagerstown | Auburn | GCL Nationals | DSL Nationals | |
2016 | Syracuse | Harrisburg | Potomac | Hagerstown | Auburn | GCL Nationals | DSL Nationals | |
2015 | Syracuse | Harrisburg | Potomac | Hagerstown | Auburn | GCL Nationals | DSL Nationals | |
2014 | Syracuse | Harrisburg | Potomac | Hagerstown | Auburn | GCL Nationals | DSL Nationals | |
2013 | Syracuse | Harrisburg | Potomac | Hagerstown | Auburn | GCL Nationals | DSL Nationals | |
2012 | Syracuse | Harrisburg | Potomac | Hagerstown | Auburn | GCL Nationals | DSL Nationals | |
2011 | Syracuse | Harrisburg | Potomac | Hagerstown | Auburn | GCL Nationals | DSL Nationals | |
2010 | Syracuse | Harrisburg | Potomac | Hagerstown | Vermont | GCL Nationals | DSL Nationals | |
2009 | Syracuse | Harrisburg | Potomac | Hagerstown | Vermont | GCL Nationals | DSL Nationals | |
2008 | Columbus | Harrisburg | Potomac | Hagerstown | Vermont | GCL Nationals | DSL Nationals | DSL Nationals 2 |
2007 | Columbus | Harrisburg | Potomac | Hagerstown | Vermont | GCL Nationals | DSL Nationals | DSL Nationals 2 |
2006 | New Orleans | Harrisburg | Potomac | Savannah | Vermont | GCL Nationals | DSL Nationals | DSL Nationals 2 |
2005 | New Orleans | Harrisburg | Potomac | Savannah | Vermont | GCL Nationals | DSL Nationals | |
2004 | Edmonton | Harrisburg | Brevard County | Savannah | Vermont | GCL Expos | DSL Nationals | |
2003 | Edmonton | Harrisburg | Brevard County | Savannah | Vermont | GCL Expos | (no team) | |
2002 | Ottawa | Harrisburg | Brevard County | Clinton | Vermont | GCL Expos | DSL Nationals | |
2001 | Ottawa | Harrisburg | Jupiter | Clinton | Vermont | GCL Expos | DSL Nationals | |
2000 | Ottawa | Harrisburg | Jupiter | Cape Fear | Vermont | GCL Expos | DSL Nationals |
Rochester is our 5th AAA affiliate since moving to DC. Harrisburg has been solidly our AA team since before the move. Potomac/Fredericksburg moved with the team and continue their relationship. It’s kind of interesting to see the pre-Nats machinations/locations just before moving as well.